Subsurface insert irrigation is more efficient for soil moisture conservation in olive groves

Compared to traditional surface irrigation methods, underground irrigation systems save a large amount of water which would otherwise evaporate due to high temperatures in the surface layer and direct exposure to the sun.
Insert irrigation consists of applying water through a PVC tube vertically pre-inserted into a sand or gravel pocket in the root zone.
Two insert irrigation treatments consisting of 50 and 100 L tree^-1, and one flood (basin) irrigation treatment of 100 L tree^-1 were tested on 3-year-old olive (Olea europaea L.) trees in northern Syria.
Three water applications were performed on July 8 and 22 and August 19. On average for the 75 cm soil profile, volumetric soil moisture content in the 100 L tree^-1 insert irrigation treatment remained higher than the flood irrigation treatment by 5.7-14.7 percentage points.
Similarly, insert irrigation at 50 L tree^-1 resulted in slightly higher soil moisture content (up to 5.7% higher). Leaf water content was 10% higher in the insert irrigation treatments compared to the surface irrigation treatment.

VIII International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops

A. Tubeileh, A. Bruggeman, F. Turkelboom

irrigation-use efficiency, soil moisture content, subsurface irrigation, dry areas, water management

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1150.43